Colonization of the Moon is the proposed establishment of a permanent human community or robotic industries on the Moon, the closest astronomical body to Earth. A fission surface power system on the A fission surface power system on the moon has the potential to generate a steady 40 kilowatts of electric power, enough for about eight houses on Earth. NASA engineers are working on a nuclear fission system to power a human colony on Mars.

NASA engineers are exploring the possibility of nuclear fission to provide the necessary power and taking initial steps toward a non-nuclear technology demonstration of this type of system. Discovery of water in the soil at the lunar poles by Chandrayaan-1 in 2008–09 renewed interest in the Moon, after NASA missions in the 1990's suggested the presence of … NASA engineers are exploring the possibility of nuclear fission to provide the necessary power and taking initial steps toward a non-nuclear technology demonstration of this type of system.

NASA and the Department of Energy (DOE) are conducting concept studies to define a possible Fission Surface Power (FSP) system for Mars missions.